My 20 weeks scan mentions an echogenic focus in the heart. Is something wrong?

Hello,

Welcome to icliniq.com.

I have read your query and gone through your reports (attachment removed to protect patient identity). I do not see any reason for concern. Let me explain. Miscarriages at different gestational ages have various reasons. A loss at the fifth and sixth week is usually due to a genetic problem. Once you have crossed the 12-week mark, that issue is ruled out. So this pregnancy is safe. It is peculiar that nowhere in the scan details, the focus is mentioned whereas suddenly in the opinion, it is mentioned. Nobody checks for the umbilical artery doppler at 20 weeks. It is checked for only at 32 weeks or later. This focus in the heart is one of the soft tissue markers. It is a dictum that if only one such marker is seen, then it is not significant.

You can get a fetal echo done after two weeks. This focus has no importance at all. Karyotyping is not needed as it would be an invasive procedure. There is no meaning in doing an invasive procedure in such a healthy baby to confirm that it is normal. This sort of invasive procedure carries a risk of damage to the pregnancy too. As all the measurements in the scan are normal, do not worry about anything. Such focuses will gradually be insignificant. Many have unique features like a sixth finger, long finger, different shape of the head or different sized eyes, and so on. We do not need to treat or further investigate into these. Rest assured. Have faith in God and enjoy your pregnancy, instead of losing your peace of mind on such trivial issues.

Hope I have been of help to you. Do write back. All the best.